Readers Want Sex JC Cassels Follow Up!

Hey! She responded to my comment! I didn't expect such a speedy reply but there you have it. I am posting the response here, (I haven't read it yet either)-

For those of you who didn't read the blog post, go read it here:

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For those of you who didn't get to read my comment to the blog post, here is what I said:


“What I am saying is that I don’t think the glorification of sex without the accompanying emotional attachment does anyone any good.”-JC Cassels
This is my M.O. when writing. Personally, I like explicit sex scenes in books (as well as movies and adult TV series), but I also appreciate, as you so eloquently expressed it, “The Art of the Innuendo”. I’ll give you two great examples of films: “Desperado” (full on sex scene, very sensual and quite appropriate to the film) and “Under the Tuscan Sun” (charming movie, tons of sexual tension, implied sex scene). I have noticed with my reading lately (and I am new to the world of erotica reading), that there are a large amount of books written with the mind set of, “How much sex can we fit in this book?” and it’s silly to be honest. (Unless of course, it is appealing to men or women who are already half way there.) Nevertheless, I feel like there is no limit to what should be written in a story. That being said, the sex should revolve around the story; not vice versa. As a side note, I noticed that you mentioned being “ashamed” of what you had written. I do wonder, did you solely write it for the purpose of people pleasing or did you have some desire to write that type of material? If a part of you wanted to write it, then I think you should embrace that. I am an artist. Sometimes I paint some evil looking stuff (that even scares me), but most of the time, I am a lighthearted painter. I didn’t used to paint the evil looking things but I realized that I can’t pick and choose who I am. I am that I am. I don’t paint everything that I think, just like I don’t say everything that I think, but I also don’t deny who I am. If you are not being true to yourself and instead, you are making decisions to please either the devil or the angel, then either way you are cutting yourself short and limiting your art.



Here is JC Cassels' Response:


~ “I do wonder, did you solely write it for the purpose of people pleasing or did you have some desire to write that type of material?” ~

You ask a pointed question, Lola. Thank you.

I have made it clear that I was writing graphic sex solely to please an editor and not for myself or my story.

My mother always told me not to let anyone touch me or do anything sexually that I didn’t want. I really feel that writing should be the same way. I felt violated that I was “expected” to write graphic sex, and subtly pressured and encouraged to do so.

I’m not saying that graphic sex scenes are evil. I’m saying they are not for me. I resent feeling pressured by a fickle industry to compromise my principles in exchange for writing a book that is tossed aside and forgotten as the last tremors of orgasm fade away.

There’s an old misogynist saying that there are two kinds of girls, the kind you take home to mother and the kind you to take to bed. Applying that here, I prefer to be the former, giving readers the soul-shattering love-of-your-life romance that stays in their heads and hearts years after they close the book. I prefer to be read and reread until the cover is worn and tattered, in danger of falling apart. I want my readers to sigh over my hero because he touches their hearts, not necessarily their g-spot.

Given the fact that there is absolutely zero sex in my book, graphic or otherwise, and the reviews use words like “sexy,” “thrilling,” “intricate,” and “pretty hard hot,” I believe I’ve made the right choice in sticking to my guns on this issue. In fact, more than one reader confided that one scene in particular is the hottest scene they’ve ever read. Given the fact that the participants are more or less clothed, there is no mention of slick folds, wet slits, or throbbing shafts, I think it validates my point that graphic sex isn’t necessary to appeal to an audience.